Despite the recent anthrax cases, 'don't worry' is the best course of action for UW-Madison students, a local biological warfare expert told approximately 350 people at the Biochemistry Building Tuesday.
'Your chances of contracting anthrax are less than [those of] getting hit by lightning,' said Ken Van Horn, a former Army combat medic specializing in the response to nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
Van Horn, a National Guardsman and UW-Madison senior majoring in life sciences communication, said it is critical for the public to become educated about anthrax, an infection caused by a spore-forming bacterium.
Although the bacterium, bacillus anthracis, produces lethal toxins and is a highly viable bio-weapon, Van Horn stressed that infections respond to antibiotics and there is little reason to fret for now. Lecture attendees received an anthrax fact sheet that allayed common fears:
- Anthrax is not contagious. Sneezing will not spread the disease.
- The chances of receiving an envelope filled with spores are very low. Use common sense with suspicious packages.
- Simply receiving a piece of spore-filled mail is'not a grave threat.' The spores need to be dispersed in the air'usually with advanced equipment'to be truly effective.
- Crop-dusters must be modified with sophisticated engineering to disperse anthrax.
- Do not attempt to seek vaccination or antibiotics. They should be reserved for people who need it most.
Do not buy a gas mask as a defense against inhaled anthrax, Van Horn said, unless you plan to wear it at all times.
'The hallmark of a biological weapons attack is you don't know when and where it'll take place,' he explained.
